Don’t Let Them Know You Can Speak Parseltongue

I took advantage of a rare day off to take a trip to my local zoo, which, thanks to its location and resident giant pandas, is also an international tourist destination.

One snake in the reptile house (a False Water Cobra, if anyone’s interested) was up against the glass and staring out, so I thought I’d try to get its attention by wiggling my hand like prey. I probably just had lucky timing, but it did actually lift its head and start moving around. I also happened to be on the other side of its enclosure when it slithered around the corner, as though following me, so I gave it a friendly wave.

A few minutes later, I noticed a little girl nearby talking to her mother in another language, pointing to a sleeping python and then to me. Her mother, slightly embarrassed, explained.

Mother: “She wanted me to ask you to make the snake come closer. She saw you with that other one and thinks you have magic snake powers.”

Girl: *Beaming.*

I couldn’t bear to ruin the magic, so I told her I could only do it once a day.